1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to a hinge and, in particular, to a hinge for an enclosure. More particularly, the present invention is an improved hinge for an animal enclosure such as a kennel.
2. Description of Related Art
Fences are conventionally used for a wide variety of applications, including enclosing or boarding fields or yards. Fences commonly include one or more openings which allow objects to traverse the fence. These openings typically include a door or gate to control the movement of objects from one side of the fence to the other. The gate is frequently connected to the fence by one or more hinges.
Conventional gate hinges are composed of two braces, each with an outwardly extending flange, and a hinge pin. One brace is connected to the fence post or support structure and the other brace is connected to the gate. The outwardly extending flanges are connected to one another by the hinge pin. The gate pivots around the hinge pin so that the entrance to the enclosure can be opened or closed. Disadvantageously, there is often a large gap or space between the gate and the fence post because the flanges and hinge pin are generally located between the gate and the fence post. The flange and hinge pin are often located in this position to allow the gate to pivot both forwardly and backwardly, and so that these elements do not protrude inwardly or outwardly from the fence.
The gap between the gate and the fence post allows items to be caught in the opening. For example, if conventional hinges are used on an animal enclosure, such as a kennel, an animal can get its nose, leg, paw or other body part wedged into the opening and this is often very painful and it can seriously injure the animal. Further, conventional hinges often cause the edge or frame of the gate to move towards the fence post while the gate is being opened or closed. This allows animals or other objects to be pinched between the gate and the fence post, which is also very painful and may seriously injury to the animal.
There are also other disadvantages associated with traditional hinges used to attach a gate to a fence. First, conventional hinges are difficult to assemble because they require the installer to use several steps to secure the braces to the fence post and the gate. For example, the installer must fasten one brace to the support structure and the other brace to the gate. Then the installer must align the outwardly extending flange of the two braces so that the two flanges can be connected by the hinge pin. These steps are time consuming and require significant effort by the installer.
Second, traditional hinges create pinch points which may cause painful injuries. For example, if a person or animal touches or leans against the hinge while the gate is in motion, the person or animal can catch its flesh or hair in the openings to the flanges or about the hinge pin. This can be very painful and cause serious injury.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a conventional gate hinge 10 includes a gate frame hinge 12 with a first leg 14 and a second leg 16 which extend generally parallel to a longitudinal axis 18 that extends through the center of the hinge. The first leg 14 and second leg 16 are joined by a curved section 20 which extends almost 360.degree.. The curved section 20 has a generally circular opening 22 that receives the hinge pin. The opening 22 typically has an inside diameter of about 0.55 inches (1.4 cm).
As seen in FIG. 1, the first leg 14 and second leg 16 of the gate frame hinge 12 are generally mirror images that are located on opposing sides of the longitudinal axis 18. The first leg 14 and second leg 16 include connecting portions 24 and 26 with a length of about 0.7 inches (1.8 cm) and rounded portions 28 and 30 which form an opening 32. The opening 32 has an inside diameter of about 1.3 inches (3.3 cm) and it is attached to the frame of the gate. The legs 14 and 16 also include outwardly extending projections 34 and 36 which have a length of about 1 inch (2.5 cm). As best seen in FIG. 2, the conventional gate frame hinge 12 includes a square opening 38 extending through the projection 34 and a square opening 39 extending through the projection 36.
The conventional gate hinge 10 also includes a post hinge 40, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The post hinge 40 has a first leg 42 and a second leg 44 which have the same general shape and configuration as the legs 14 and 16 of the gate frame hinge 12. In particular, the post hinge 40 includes curved section 45 surrounding the hinge pin 46. The post hinge 40 also includes connecting portions 47 and 48; rounded portions 49 and 50; projections 51 and 52; and an opening 53 to receive the post. As best seen in FIG. 4, the projection 51 includes a square opening 53 and the projection 52 includes a square opening 54. Additionally, the post hinge 40 includes a tack weld 55 and an indentation 56. The tack weld 55 attaches the legs 42 and 44 proximate the curved section 45 and the tack weld may be used to secure the hinge pin 46 in the desired position. Additionally, the indentation 56 may be used to secure the hinge pin 46 in the desired location. A carriage bolt 57 as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 is used to connect the projections 34 and 36 of the first leg 14 and second leg 16, respectively, of the gate frame hinge 12. The bolt 57 has a threaded portion 58 and a head 59. A carriage bolt is also be used to connect the projections 51 and 52 of the post hinge 40.
The attachment of the gate frame hinge 12 to the gate and the post hinge 40 to the post is often difficult and time consuming. Further, for those who are not skilled in using conventional gate hinges, it is awkward and troublesome to correctly align and attach the gate frame hinge 12 to the post hinge 40. Further, the conventional gate hinge 10 allows people working with the gates, or animals enclosed by them to get pinched by the hinge, and the significant gap between the gate and the fence post allows persons or animals to catch their body parts within the opening.